Operation Bracelet (i)

'Bracelet' (i) was a British unrealised operation to capitalise on 'Anklet' in the Lofoten islands group off the western coast of German-occupied northern Norway (28/30 December 1941).

It was planned that while 'Anklet' would deliver assault force to the Kirkefjord and Skjelfjord areas, 'Bracelet' (i) would then land ground and anti-aircraft elements to occupy and hold the area taken in 'Anklet' as a British forward base for operations round the northern part of Norway. The plan foundered on the opposition of Sir John Tovey, commander-in-chief of the Home Fleet, who quite rightly believed that any attempt to take and hold any land area close to the bases from which the Germans could undertake major air attacks, without the possibility of any British land-based tactical air support, would result in heavy naval losses, especially during the supply operations which would necessarily have to be made, and perhaps even lead to the total loss of the land force if and when the time came to evacuate it.